Jazz: Bix Beiderbecke

Bix Beiderbecke

Source: Herb Museum

Born Leon Bismark Beiderbecke on 10 March 1903 in Davenport, Iowa, Bix Beiderbecke, cornetist and pianist, briefly rivaled trumpeter Louis Armstrong as a horn player in the latter twenties. Jazz was coming around by this time to more melodic expressions than several years afore when extemporaneous elaborations were associated with high energy (ODJB et al). Beiderbecke began in that fashion but soon joined Armstrong as a melody maker. Though Beiderbecke recorded nothing with Armstrong they knew one another well and performed together on at least a few occasions.

'Fidgety Feet', 'Lazy Daddy', 'Sensation Rag' and 'Jazz Me Blues' were Beiderbecke's first recordings with the Wolverines in 1924 in Richmond, Indiana. He recorded a couple tracks that year as well with Frank Trumbauer in the Sioux City Six. It was also 1924 that he began recording with the Jean Goldkette Orchestra, working with both Trumbauer and Goldkette until joining the Paul Whiteman outfit in 1927. In the meantime his first composition to see press had been 'Davenport Blues' gone down with his Rhythm Jugglers in Richmond, Indiana, on January 6, 1925, toward issue on Gennett 5654. Another of his compositions was his second most popular issue [Music VF], the piano solo, 'In a Mist' (Okeh 40916) recorded in 1927. Bix Beiderbecke and His Gang was another of Beiderbecke's bands. His most popular release [Music VF] was 'At the Jazz Ball' (Okeh 40923) recorded with his Gang in 1927. Beiderbecke also led an orchestra with which he put down tracks in 1930. He plays cornet in all tracks below except the piano solo, 'In a Mist'.

'Fidgety Feet'   Bix Beiderbecke on cornet w the Wolverines   Beiderbecke's first recording

Recorded 18 Feb 1924 in Richmond IN   Gennett 5408

Trombone: Al Gandee   Tenor sax: George Johnson   Clarinet: Jimmy Hartwell

Piano: Dick Voynow   Banjo: Bob Gillette

Bass: Min Leibrook   Drums: Vic Moore

Composition: Nick LaRocca / Larry Shields (ODJB)   1918

'Copenhagen'   Bix Beiderbecke on cornet w the Wolverines

Recorded 6 May 1924 in Richmond IN   Gennett 5453-B / Claxtonola 40336-B

Tenor sax: George Johnson   Clarinet: Jimmy Hartwell

Piano: Dick Voynow   Banjo: Bob Gillette

Tuba: Min Leibrook   Drums: Vic Moore

Composition: Charlie Davis

'Trumbology'   Bix Beiderbecke on cornet w Frank Trumbauer and His Orchestra

Recorded 4 Feb 1927 in NYC   Matrix W-80391-C   OKeh 40871

Trombone: Bill Rank   C melody sax: Trumbauer   Alto sax / clarinet: Jimmy Hartwell

Piano: Paul Mertz   Banjo: Howdy Quicksell   Drums: Chauncey Morehouse

Composition: Trumbauer

'Singin' the Blues'   Bix Beiderbecke on cornet w Frank Trumbauer and His Orchestra

Recorded 4 Feb 1927 in NYC   Matrix W-80393-B   OKeh 40772-B

Trombone: Bill Rank   C melody sax: Trumbauer   Sax: Stanley Doc Ryker

Alto sax / clarinet: Jimmy Dorsey   Piano: Paul Mertz   Guitar: Eddie Lang

Banjo: Howdy Quicksell   Drums: Chauncey Morehouse

Composition: J. Russel Robinson / Con Conrad / Sam M. Lewis / Joe Young   1920

'I'm Coming Virginia'   Bix Beiderbecke on cornet w Frank Trumbauer and His Orchestra

Recorded 13 May 1927 in NYC   OKeh 40843

Trombone: Bill Rank   C melody sax: Trumbauer

Baritone sax / clarinet: Don Murray   Alto sax: Stanley Doc Ryker

Piano: Irving Riskin   Banjo / guitar: Eddie Lang   Drums / harpophone: Chauncey Morehouse

Music: Donald Heywood   1926   Lyrics: Will Marion Cook

'In a Mist'   Piano solo by Bix Beiderbecke

Recorded 8 Sep 1927 in NYC   OKeh 40916

Composition: Beiderbecke

'Krazy Kat'   Bix Beiderbecke on cornet w Frank Trumbauer and His Orchestra

Recorded 28 Sep 1927 in NYC   OKeh 40903

Trombone: Bill Rank   C melody sax: Trumbauer

Clarinet: Don Murray   Bass sax: Adrian Rollini   Alto sax: Bobby Davis

Piano: Frank Signorelli   Violin: Joe Venuti

Guitar: Eddie Lang   Drums: Chauncey Morehouse

Composition:  Chauncey Morehouse / Trumbauer

'At the Jazz Band Ball'   Bix Beiderbecke on cornet w His Gang

Recorded 5 Oct 1927 in NYC   OKeh 40923

Trombone: Bill Rank   Bass sax: Adrian Rollini

Clarinet: Don Murray   Piano: Frank Signorelli   Drums: Chauncey Morehouse

Composition:  Nick LaRocca / Larry Shields (ODJB)   1917

'Felix The Cat'   Bix Beiderbecke on cornet w Paul Whiteman & His Orchestra

Recorded 25 May 1928 in NYC   Columbia 1478-D

Trumpet: Charles Margulis / Eddie Pinder

Trombone: Boyce Cullen / Bill Rank / Wilbur Hall

C melody sax: Frank Trumbauer   Tenor sax: Rube Crozier

Baritone sax: Charles Strickfaden   Alto sax: Chester Hazlett / Roy Maier

Violin: Kurt Dieterle / Mischa Russell / Matty Malneck / Mario Perry

Piano: Roy Bargy   Banjo: Mike Pingitore  String bass: Mike Trafficante

Tuba: Min Leibrook   Drums: George Marsh   Vocal: Austin Young

Music: Pete Wendling / Max Kortlander   Lyrics: Alfred Bryan

'Georgia on My Mind'   Bix Beiderbecke on cornet w Hoagy Carmichael & His Orchestra

Recorded 15 Sep 1930 in NYC   Victor 23013

Trumpet: Ray Lodwig   Trombone: Jack Teagarden / Boyce Cullen

C melody sax: Frank Trumbauer   Tenor sax: Bud Freeman

Bass sax: Min Leibrook   Alto sax: Pee Wee Russell

Violin: Kurt Dieterle / Mischa Russell / Matty Malneck / Mario Perry

Piano: Irving Brodsky   Violin: Joe Venuti   Guitar: Eddie Lang

Drums: Chauncey Morehouse   Vocal: Hoagy Carmichael

Music: Hoagy Carmichael   Lyrics: Stuart Gorrell

Due to declining health Beiderbecke had to quit Whiteman in 1930. He made his last recordings on September 15 that year in NYC with Hoagy Carmichael. From among those four tracks 'Georgia on My Mind' would make the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2014. Beiderbecke was another musician victim to youth without measure, working 'round the clock while pouring energy into drink along the way. Slammed by a double whammy of alcoholism and pneumonia, Beiderbecke died in his prime in Queens on 6 August 1931, only 28 years of age. "He didn't know how to say no and didn't know how to say goodnight" replied Armstrong when asked what caused Beiderbecke's early death in an interview nearly forty years later [ref below].

My Ohio Home (w Paul Whiteman 1928)

Interviews: Louis Armstrong Remembers Bix Beiderbecke (circa late sixties UK)

Recordings by Beiderbecke: Catalogs:

45 Worlds   Discogs   JDP   RYM

Recordings by Beiderbecke: Compilations:

The Bix Beiderbecke Collection: 20 Golden Greats (Deja Vu 1985)

Georgia on My Mind (Edel Records 2009)

Recordings by Beiderbecke: Sessions:

Scott Alexander (Bix Beiderbecke)

Scott Alexander (Bix Beiderbecke and his Gang)

Scott Alexander (Bix Beiderbecke and his Orchestra)

Scott Alexander (Bix Beiderbecke and his Rhythm Jugglers)

DAHR (Bix Beiderbecke 1924-1930)

DAHR (Bix Beiderbecke and his Gang 1927-1930)

Jean Pierre Lion (1924-1930)

Tom Lord: leading 8 of 92 sessions (1924-1930)

Brian Rust (Jazz and Ragtime Records, 1897-1942 / Mainspring Press / 2002)

Joel Vanwambeke (1924-1930)

Repertoire:

Composers Recorded: Music Brainz

At the Jazz Band Ball (Nick LaRocca & Larry Shields of ODJB 1917)

Davenport Blues (Beiderbecke 1925): Bixography   Wikipedia

Fidgety Feet (Nick LaRocca & Larry Shields of ODJB 1918)

Further Reading:

Bix Beiderbecke: Brendan Wolfe

Felix the Cat (cartoon character 1919): Felix the Cat   Wikipedia

Krazy Kat (cartoon strip by George Herriman 1913-44): Wikipedia